This thread will be dedicated to my project long in the waiting. Alot of research. Alot of new ground work. A few performance forums attributed to get this far An excellent workshop found also.

Will start with some pics in the next post of when I brought the beast home in January of this year.

To begin with. Bought this 300E from a disillusioned seller who allowed poor workshop to build the car & eventually poor workmanship & little knowledge led to destruction of performance built engine along with most of the running gear & turbo equipment to be replaced from scratch.

Hope this thread will be informative & maybe stir a little discussion for those interested in stretching the boundaries a bit

Below are some pics of the car when I brought her home in January. It was running LPG set up with only 1 convertor. Running a Garrett T03 highflowed to T04 specs. Pretty stock exhaust manifold I think off a diesel? Not sure now. Exhaust was anywhere from 2/14"-3" ike a dogs breakfast. All looked good but it was destined to blow up.......it did!



















Purchased items & work to be done commencing last week:

Running Gear:

Low km M103 3.0L in VG cond' left stock 9.2:1 comp (aid in spool time)
GT3540R .63 A/R billet comp wheel; ceramic bearings (all lowering spool time)
Microtech MT8 timing only ECU
3" turbo back mandrel exhaust
Larger FMIC & fabricated mandrel aluminium piping to suit
Custom Inlet inc 3" bell end runners & Boxy Plenum
Custom Steampipe Exhaust Manifold with 45mm external wastegate
Reco'd 400 Mixer (older style were better) & Twin Vapour/Convertors & larger lines to suit
Rebuilt Trans with shift kit & 2300rpm stall convertor
New engine Mounts
New Trans Mount
New Behl Radiator & all hoses
New Front Flex Plate......will add later any other gear I've forgotten

Boost will begin @ 10psi, then 12, then hopefully 14

Will be installing LPG primer sensor & oil filter between engine & turbo

Looking realistically @ between 260-290rwkw depending on boost I run? I was going for 290 solid but I feel @ this stage I would have to use .84 A/R housing to gain the top end needed I think? This would mean a trade off of more lag & less linear powerband.

 

Decided to raise the boost in increments when we, eventually do get to tune car Initially do a run @ 10psi using a 45mm external wastegate then @ 15psi @ see how she fairs & what hp we can achieve @ this boost. As I've said before, hp will be down due to small turbine housing but the trade off is quicker low down response so I can live with that I won't be running a BOV as the auto's stalled @ 2300-2500rpm so unlike manual gear changes where you would definitely run a BOV, gear change will be pretty much instantaneous & BOV in this case would be for the **** effect only. Back pressure will be negligible & the large wastegate will do that job well. Also the larger comp wheel ensure large volume of airflow & counter the back pressure anyway. All in the set up @ this stage.

Also @ this stage I think I'll call it a day @ 15psi for reliability purposes more than anything. The LPG will work in my advantage in this area with it's higher octane ability however, this hp will be a big enough shock I think for the stock car including running gear, brakes, suspension per se.

The MT8 has to be made up especially & will be a few weeks wait bugger it. Hopefully there is enough to be done in the meantime with fabrication anyway?

P.S. I may still run a BOV. Plumbed back though but awaiting workshops call

 

For those interested parties. When considering LPG running high output engines. You must first choose the right set up in order to achieve desired results from a stock engine, or even performance built engine for that matter. I have owned LPG on both purpose-built & stock engines & there are pitfalls for both! Like any good engine guy will agree. once you are guaranteed consistent AFR's. It's all in the tune!

I want to say @ this early point. I am fully aware of the LPI injection available & vapour injection systems but chose not to go down these paths due to 4 things. Cost, availability & poor manufacturing of certain parts & finally that car was already set up this way so I wanted to simply finish what was started so many years ago. This along with fact the blow-through mixer systems we use down here are the best you can get & are actually producing better results in high output applications than injection rivals.

Through discussions with other performance forum members, the issue of the inlet manifold came up big time. Fact that the inlet manifold was manufactured as a dry flow only manifold but now is having to act as a wet flow! Simply ensuring the set up is right so enough LPG feeds all 6 cylinders to prevent leaning out. Whilst LPG resists detonation very well due to it's higher octane rating (110), thus, allowing higher boost levels than pump gas, you must ensure AFR's are constant! Enough fuel/air gets is supplied through entire powerband.

The way previous owner had LPG set up was pathetic. Ignorance played a huge part in purpose-built engine (low comp forgies etc) leaning out in a few cylinders & causing head gasket to corrode & eventually head to warp & finally driven for too long in this state which ended up scoring the bores & actually corroding engine block between combustion chambers Electrolysis played a bid part also when car was left to sit for too long in between driving. Head was a mess when I pulled it off.

My workshop will be running new thicker LPG lines & reconditioning Mixer & boring out venturi chamber for greater flow volume & fitting larger main jet, coupled with twin converters.

Next. Customised inlet manifold is being fabricated (almost finished) whereby runners were cut down to about 3" in length & then turned bell ends fitted onto each & then mated to a custom boxy plenum that's welded onto these. The Mixer will now sit sideways, acting as also as the tb fitted to front of boxy plenum instead of the middle of the old stock manifold as previous owner had done. Modified inlet will then be bench flow tested to ensure even distribution of gases. Also by positioning the tb @ front of engine allows for much shorter intercooler inlet piping so less volume has to be forced around the intercooler circuit = quicker spool time.

This is probably the main custom work that will ensure reliable LPG flow rate.

Hope this is helpful to anyone either interested in this mad project or contemplating LPG use in the future. I personally wouldn't have willingly undertaken this challenge if it weren't for the predicament I found myself in due to this poor cars fate & the huge potential of a much-luved car that ended up pushed aside through ignorance & despair.....

 

I've decided to take a members advice on another forum who has worked on & owns 4 of these turbocharged 300E's. Concerning the dynamics of these engines & how they work up top & not so much down low so, in order to take advantage of their inherent performance characteristics, I've decided to swap turbine housings. I will run with the .84. & not the .63. I may as well swap it now while it's sitting on bench than later after it's fitted to the car.

I don't want the back pressure & accompanying heat on the turbine wheel & inlet parts that the smaller housing would create. Besides. The better economy & higher hp I think kinda speaks for itself

Just so happens workshop has an .84 housing from a commodore they worked on so it isn't a big deal.

 

Thanks for advice but unfortunately turbo is already purchased & just has to have the turbine housings swapped. It was custom made so I'm kinda stuck with it. It's not going to be too bad with rest of custom work to suit

 

Just a bit of an update on my very near future plans:

Workshop will be mounting TB/Mixer underneath the custom Plenum, in the middle to ensure LPG vapour spreads evenly across all pots. If it was injected, he would have run it in front of first cylinder as was originally planned & what most have done also. LPG changes everything though I guess.

This means the tb will be upside down & feed downwards & then turns toward intercooler via a half-horse shoe bend.

Their still busy mind you the sods. Oh well, more time to put away for other stuff like the springs (all need replacing as they were cut by previous owner ) & possible brake upgrade? Will see how current set up works when I get to drive it though first. __________________

Planning out mods I want to do soon whilst I'm awaiting return of car from workshop along with mods I want to get stuck into once car comes home from workshop.

While I'm waiting I wanna remove grill from bonnet & paint it up satin black. If it looks the part then look at powder-coating it along with perhaps wheel centres? Also paint the boot strip holding rear license plate lights on matching satin black along with the boot star emblem.

First thing I want to definitely tackle once it's home is engine bay heat. This includes heat wrapping the inlet runners & custom extractors. Probably getting a Turbo blanket. Tastefully cutting into front bar & inserting mesh, painting mesh black. I want to avoid bonnet scoops to let air into bay as I don't want to draw attention at this stage.

Also. Looking at a set of 18 x 8" BBS lookalikes. Only reason is they are "brand new" being sold privately so, very tempting....hmmmmmm.....
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Still deciding whether or not to cut out the front bar whilst waiting for workshop to finish (always something else pops up in life is would seem ) or leave it til' I get it home?

Decided against painting the bonnet grill black just yet. Will get this sandblastered & powder coated along with wheels once I've chosen the right ones (still considering the BBS style rims at the moment). So will be pretty much a waste of time messing with it now only to get it done right later Will probably have other parts to sandblast up ahead. You never know.

Still not overly eager to do too much cosmetic body work prior to vehicle inspection & rego.

Guess I'm really peeved at the time it's taking the workshop but, on a positive side, this gives me extra time to put away for expected expenses up ahead like brakes? struts? any electrical dramas that may arise when it's all said & done?
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These are the wheels I've been considering over last week. Well. Bought em hehe They are original German BBS RG2 18"x8.5" ET38 forged alloys weighing 9kg each It's so hard to find quality wheels with any sort of dish/lip for these cars down here.

Some bugger's stole my idea with the colour coding though (powder coating I have planned) Oh well, least it shows you how they will look off the car. Only difference is the tyres will be stretched on these to fit under guards. I have to flare them more somehow after it passes rego

Soon as I get em' delivered from Sydney I can send them along with grill & other stuff to be s/blastered & powder coated

 

Very seriously considering going LPI.........yes.....liquid LPG injection

This workshop are the biggest DICKS I've ever encountered to this day!

Feedback

EDIT: I'm fast losing confidence in the LPG mixer set up. The expense of injection is the hardest bit to chew. I'm guessing I would have to go MS stand alone for EFI customisation? Any input into the dramas I will face? Again, this LPI is very expensive but delivers 'better' economy & 'more' power & is also rock solid reliable. Just the expense to consider

Other alternative is to convert it to EFI & run E85 fuel. Utilising MS stand alone. Setting up the proper fuel lines etc? This, I'm considering today.........

EDIT 2: In a nutshell.......Workshop have done very little except for excuses. This whole project is not something any workshop can pull outta their proverbial ***! They need to be very experienced in LPG set ups; turbocharging (with LPG of course) & have the machining/fabricating tools to boot! This is why I labour with these *******

k......that said & outta the way........I have read the EFI for M103 threads but my 300E does NOT have the k-jet mech injection fitted. Was removed prior to last Ice Age. IF I go EFI, I can start (have to start) from scratch. I'm using the 4 speed auto trans. No flywheel to consider trigger wheel etc etc.....so, where it stands @ present......what will I need to consider to convert this car to EFI. Doesn't have to use M104 wiring loom etc. I can go MS & run any adaptive EFI gear/wiring loom etc.

PLS PLS help me out here guys. I want to steer this project around if I can @ this stage. I can start from scratch were the EFI is concerned. I don't have access to yards down here like in the US/EU etc.

Ideas

EDIT 2: In a nutshell.......Workshop have done very little except for excuses. This whole project is not something any workshop can pull outta their proverbial ***! They need to be very experienced in LPG set ups; turbocharging (with LPG of course) & have the machining/fabricating tools to boot! This is why I labour with these ****ers

k......that said & outta the way........I have read the EFI for M103 threads but my 300E does NOT have the k-jet mech injection fitted. Was removed prior to last Ice Age. IF I go EFI, I can start (have to start) from scratch. I'm using the 4 speed auto trans. No flywheel to consider trigger wheel etc etc.....so, where it stands @ present......what will I need to consider to convert this car to EFI. Doesn't have to use M104 wiring loom etc. I can go MS & run any adaptive EFI gear/wiring loom etc.

PLS PLS help me out here guys. I want to steer this project around if I can @ this stage. I can start from scratch were the EFI is concerned. I don't have access to yards down here like in the US/EU etc.

Ideas

Also. Found this link below to a guy in Singapore that has an EBay site where he sells EFI kits/coponents inc trigger wheels, light weight pulleys etc. Some may find this interesting Go to 2nd last post & you'll see contact info

http://www.mybenz.org/zoopp/html/mod...=4488&forum=21

 

DONE! EFI on E85 it is haha...... no more bull****ting around with this stupid LPG mixer set up, just to have a friek

Probably source the custom fuel rail & few EFI bits from Singapore distributor. Seems very reliable. Kits are only for the M102 but, parts are still available for te M103 & coils etc can be got from MS. Will prolly run with MS ECU.......first time I've had piece with this car for months